The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1887-10-29

in carrying idle plant, not at work,
$S00,000; balance remaining unexpen-
ded, S550,000. Total, $9,s50,0O0.
Of the three kinds of work done
there has been considerable discussion
of two of them, and | shall say little
of the leyees first. lie then went ON
to explain that the subject of leyees
when first commenced was one that
the people were unaequainted with,
and whenever an appropriation was
asked the friends of the river improve
ment were always met with a suspi-
cion on the part of the powers at
Washington that there were private
interests behind everything that was
asked, and the commission has been
required by the secretary of war to
swear every time ANYTHING had been
asked for leyees that there was no
where behind any secret purpose to
benefit any mans land anywhere by
the building Of the levee, and every
thing that had been done, year after
year, had been done under this sort of
a suspicion. But the time of vindica-
tion was coming. When the commits
sion first commenced they could only
lay arguments before congress. But
now, with five years experience, the
arguments could be supplanted by
measurements taken from year to year,
and all the facts of actual experience.
lie cited Vicksburg as an instance, and
asserted that the flood line had been
lowered there from two to four feet
by the construction of leyees. The
water had all been confined within
the channel, and that meant that from
two TO four feet had been kept off from
tract of country fifteen to twenty
miles wide, and that meant an increase
in the securing and washing of the
channel. But all that was not done by
the government. When we had $780,
900 of the government money which
we could put in levces we called on the
people to put up like or larger sum.
And the way the commission
had squeezed the poor people liv-
ing along the shore was sin and a
shame; they had put up more than the
government had. They had spent
$2,600.000 of the government money
and the people had raised and paid
$l,S50000. [Great applause.l All this
could not have been brought about
however. if II had not been for the gov.
ernment aid. In 1882, after the flood
the people were in despair, and did not
take heart till the government puts it'
shoulder to the wheel.
lie then proceeded to explain what
revetment work was, describing it al
any work designed for protection
against the current; giving as instances
the concrete work on the jotties at thu
mouth of the Mississippi, rip-rap worl
or any means used to prevent washing
around the abutments of bridge, o
other structure, and the willow mai
tresses on the east and west shores o
the Mississippi at Memphis.
For many years MeuIphis had stoo'
with impunity, and the river flowed il
the same place; but then caving begal
which endangered the town on the east
Revetment work was done, which pro
tected that. 1t was then found that
was cutting very badly at Hopehel'
Bend and above, and reyetmont worl
was put in there, which has had the ei
feet of holding the channel in place an'
making its course permanent Tha
danger is now past. But the next dan
ger will be Of a different kind. | an
not much of believer in the universe
depravity of the human race, but stil
believe in the universal and total dc
pravity of the Mississippi river.
If vigilance were relaxed at Hope
field Bend, the bar that now stand
shining on the other side of the rive
might at any time come across and fln'
itself on this side, with the great Fathe
of Waters flowing away to the west o
It. That is where the danger lie
now.
Plum Point was mentioned as anoth
or illustration of what had been dom
f in this way. A new channel had beel
opened, and kept open, and the largcs
steamboats, in the Mississippi can con
stantly pass it at all stages of water
The speaker here explained the position
of the channel upon map which h
! had upon the stage.
lie did not say that the Mississippi
river commission had made no mistakes
They had great deal TO learn whel
thev entered upon the work. The,
might have done some revetment worl
they would not do again. They nigh
have constructed some leyees the,
would not construct again. The iielt
was new. and they were obliged to ex
pertinent But that kind of work wa
necessary and indispensable, and bene
, fetal. At Plum Point Bayou and LAX
Providence and other places the worl
had demonstrated to certainty tina
the Mississippi river can be controlled
Continuing, he said that he though
the Atchafalaya is the umbilical cord o
creation. think the work of creation
was wound up ut the mouth of Rec
, river; and they tied up the ends there
{ and did not do good job, and II ha
! been raveling out ever since.
, lie then described all that had to b
kept in mind in dealing with this prob
) lem-the commerce of the Red rive
and the commerce of the Atchafalay
I Basin, and the planters of the Tensa
I and the city of New Orleans. 1t is in
s possible to give them all they desire
All had been done to take care of then
( that could be done with the means a
/ the command of the commission. TIL
J, deposit was like lot Of antedilnyia
G soap left over when they scrubbed ou
{ the ark. 1t shifted around in the mos
G extraordinary manner, and the fir;
o thing any one could know, the bottor
t would appear on the top of the water
c and to deal with it was the most ineor
ceivably difficult thing that can be in
II agined.
G He did wish TO be understood as |
IS any way attempting TO defend the Mi
G sissippi river commission at that tim
and place. He said that years ago whe
, the theology of the county was a lit
II severer than it is now, it was nece
l. sary to ask a candidate for the ministr
Is if he would be willing to be damnc